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By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 70

Polestar is evolving. And proof of that came in 2024 with this Polestar 3. This was the company's first large SUV and of course is fully electric, with a sporty vibe that pitched this original version directly against rivals like BMW's iX and Jaguar's I-PACE. The brand saw it as 'the luxury SUV for the electric age'. Here, we look at the early 2024-2025 400V models as a used buy.

Modelsword count: 15

5dr SUV (EV) [Long range Single motor, Long rangeDual motor, Long range Dual motor Performance]

Historyword count: 218

By early 2024, the Polestar brand really needed this Polestar 3 large SUV, having previously depended almost completely on the compact Polestar 2. This '3' was a high-end large luxury EV evolving the company's design identity and was, according to the marque's then-CEO Thomas Ingenlath, tasked with bringing the 'sport' back to this class of SUV. It sat on much more substantial underpinnings than the Polestar 2, using a freshly developed SPA2 platform also designed to underpin future models. And was built in China and (for Europe) at Volvo's US factory in Ridgeville, South Carolina to sell in thirty global markets. It's the early pre-facelift 400V versions pf this car that we look at here. A Long range Single motor variant joined the Dual motor versions in the line-up in late 2024. * What You Pay Prices for the Long range Single motor version of this Polestar 3 start at around £40,700 (around £46,000 retail) for a typical variant on an early '24-plate. Prices for the Long range Dual motor version of this Polestar 3 start at around £43,500 (around £48,750 retail) for a typical variant on an early '24-plate. Prices for the Long range Dual motor Performance version of this Polestar 3 start at around £44,900 (around £50,250 retail) for a typical variant on an early '24-plate.

What You Getword count: 180

This was a different kind of Polestar to anything we'd seen before, though certain styling cues remained, like the Y-shaped 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, the full-width rear light bar and the chunky side cladding. There's a rakish silhouette with a panoramic glass roof panel that curves gently towards the back, passing beneath a prominent rear spoiler. There are air- channelling vents at the leading edge of the bonnet and substantial rear haunches, with flush-fitting door handles offering a finishing touch. Size-wise, think BMW iX, Mercedes EQC or Audi e-tron from this era, so it's a large category SUV. Which means that more luxury and technology will be expected inside up-front, where things are dominated by a huge central screen that uses Google's Android Automotive OS operating system. The panoramic roof gives the cabin an airy feel - which isn't illusory. Unlike in the Polestar 2, there's plenty of space on the back seat, where there's a fully flat floor courtesy of the Volvo/Polestar SPA2 EV architecture. You get a decently-sized 484-litre boot too, extendable to 1,411-litres with the backrest folded.

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